Different visits to this market have revealed the improper control in terms of hygiene and proper management as the population grows. Sellers in this market are complaining that they cannot use the toilets that are padlocked within the market because of the ongoing renovation.
People or traders in the market who cannot walk few distance from the market to the Old Yundum Primary School always urinate and excrete indiscriminately at open space just a few meters behind the market.
Among other health risks, sightseeing from inside the market has revealed that some old refrigerators for icing leftover fish or edible items for sale are leaning horizontally on the toilet fence/wall.
Speaking to some of the shop owners, a weekend visit to this market revealed their unsatisfactory situation in the place, while others complained of negligence despite paying their due rates as levied on them.
Mariama Fatty owns a stall in the market. She said the smell is an ongoing menace that has no ending, as it remains 24/7 and “individual cannot provide solution but council can.”
She compared the obnoxious smell to those of excretion and decay “because when you enter this market especially from here (behind) onward, you will think that a drain burst somewhere around without knowing it smells within the market. Even dumping site talk less of Serekunda market does not smell like this.”
“Health wise, I don’t know the damage smell can cause in human being but I know this frequent smell that we inhale in this market is not good for our health. Council should take this serious but they are only good in sending their officers after everyone to pay the daily ticket instead of looking at the situation we are facing here, too,” Ebrima Sowe lamented.
He pointed to the toilet saying “look at that building. It is the toilet but it is padlocked. They said they want to renovate it. For how long, there are lots of women in this market they will have to leave this market and go to that school (pointing to Old Yundum Primary School) to answer to the call of nature or else they make use of that open space at the back of the market. Women for that matter!”
Ramatoullah Barry appealed to the council to fumigate the market. “In my own opinion, I think the council should take one full day or more to sanitise this market for us. The stench is odious and most of us selling here come in the morning and go back home later in the evening, I think we are risking our health.”
Also, she said they cannot be in the market from morning till evening “without eating or drinking and we do it inside this smell, let the council help us. We cannot continue like this.”
Uninterrupted exposure to offensive smells can cause health effects such as discomfort, serious health symptoms; nose irritation; breathing issues; it can make one feel nauseous and can affect one’s mood as well.
